The Ministry of Coal issued a clarification refuting media reports attributing reduced power generation at Punjab's thermal plants to inadequate coal supply from the Centre. The Ministry stated that adequate coal has been made available to Punjab's power plants, with Coal India Limited (CIL) remaining fully committed to ensuring uninterrupted coal supply for power generation across the country, including Punjab.
The Central Government proactively facilitated coal movement to Independent Power Plants (IPPs) in Punjab since the commencement of its captive mine production. This includes enabling supply of coal from PSPCL's captive Pachhwara Central Coal Mine to IPPs, subject to fulfilment of statutory payment obligations to the State of Jharkhand. Utilization of coal from the Pachhwara mine by IPPs not owned by PSPCL, including Nabha Power Limited (Rajpura) and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (Mansa), is already allowed up to 50% of annual production after meeting the requirements of Specified End Use Plants. For enhancement beyond 50%, PSPCL can approach the central government.
PSPCL operates three thermal power plants—Guru Hargobind TPS (Lehra Mohabbat), Goindwal Sahib TPP, and Ropar TPS—with a combined capacity of 2,300 MW. As of September 4, 2026, coal stock at PSPCL's plants stood at around 117% of the normative requirement, indicating more than adequate coal availability. Despite this comfortable stock position, the average Plant Load Factor (PLF) of PSPCL's plants during August 2026 was only around 42%, indicating that low generation cannot be attributed to inadequate coal availability.
In contrast, Nabha Power Limited, a Punjab-based IPP, achieved a PLF of around 93% during the same period, backed by adequate coal supplies from CIL sources, demonstrating that coal availability has not been a constraint for power generation in the State.
Coal India subsidiaries have proactively offered coal to Punjab-based IPPs, though booking and lifting have lagged. Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) offered 5 lakh tonnes of coal to NPL and TSPL on March 30, 2026 under RCR mode, of which only about 4.1 lakh tonnes has been booked and approximately 3.1 lakh tonnes lifted so far. Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) offered 3.5 lakh tonnes of coal to NPL, against which only around 1.3 lakh tonnes has been booked and 0.98 lakh tonnes lifted so far.
The Ministry reiterates that timely lifting of coal by the IPPs, together with improved generation performance at PSPCL's own plants, are equally critical to optimising power generation in Punjab. The Central Government has already taken concrete steps to enable coal movement to Punjab's IPPs, including relaxation of statutory end-use restrictions to permit supply from PSPCL's captive mines.